| writing has been posted strictly for informational and | | | | to purchase because of the shorter distances |
| human interest purposes only, and not for medical or | | | | involved in transporting them to market. Locally |
| advisory purposes and does not necessarily | | | | grown vegetables also means vegetables that are in |
| constitute the opinions or conclusions of the provider. | | | | season, which studies confirm to contain the highest |
| The reader should not rely upon the validity of any | | | | nutritional values. For example, spinach that is in |
| of the information below. Readers are urged to | | | | season can contain up to three times more Vitamin C |
| consult doctors, nutritionists, and other medical | | | | than during other times of the year. |
| professionals when seeking advice about food, | | | | It is important to also check on the maturity of your |
| nutrition, diet, and physiology. | | | | vegetables. Although they do not ripen in the same |
| People understand that it is vitally important to watch | | | | way as fruits, they do reach maturity nonetheless |
| out for food scams, as fraud could exist even on | | | | and it is important to check this factor as taste and |
| food labeling. Pardon the thought but these days, | | | | nutritional value depend on it. Bruising is an important |
| when so many people are concerned about issues | | | | aspect to consider, as cell damage can degrade their |
| like housing and work place discrimination, fashion, | | | | vitamin content, particularly Vitamin C. Storage is also |
| entertainment, real estate, mortgages, vacations, and | | | | an very important consideration, as some kinds of |
| so on and so forth, issues like food safety and | | | | vegetables are better unrefrigerated and others |
| quality may become unnecessarily overshadowed. | | | | almost require it if they are not scheduled for |
| Vegetables are herbaceous, or non-woody, plants | | | | consumption within as little as a day after purchase |
| that are edible to human beings. They come in many | | | | or even picking! |
| shapes and sizes and can be merely a part of the | | | | Preparation is also important because nutritional value |
| plant, such as cucumbers, which are actually the fruit | | | | can be lost through careless handling; for example, |
| of the cucumber vine, or they can be the plant itself, | | | | soaking leafy green vegetables for longer than a |
| such as is the case with broccoli. They are an | | | | couple of minutes will cause water-soluble vitamins, |
| important part of good healthy diets, and a simple | | | | such as Vitamin B and Vitamin C, to “leak |
| rule-of-thumb recommends eating five different | | | | out.” Another example of proper preparation |
| colors of vegetables each day in order to ensure the | | | | is cutting vegetables into small pieces prior to cooking |
| most complete nutrition possible. | | | | so that they will cook more quickly and therefore |
| Getting good vegetables means carefully choosing | | | | better preserve their nutritional content, which is |
| them, selecting for quality and freshness. This usually | | | | affect by the heat. And when it comes to cooking, |
| means those which are locally and organically grown. | | | | sometimes it is critical to treat each vegetable as an |
| Organically grown vegetables do not contain | | | | individual food or dish in itself and not simply as mere |
| pesticides and other chemical agents that not only | | | | garnishment; most vegetables are almost unforgiving |
| harm pests and vermin but human beings as well. | | | | of overcooking, unlike meats or grains. |
| Locally grown vegetables are usually less expensive | | | | |